Ginger stood in front of the mirror smoothing out her orange gown. She had wanted to look her best for the Professor after all he did state this was her most stunning gown. As she was admiring her reflection, Mary Ann walked into the hut noticing her friend's new attire. "You changed for dinner?" The farm girl asked in a surprised voice.

"I had to." Ginger responded. "My green dress got a little messy when I was making the pie earlier."

"I see." Mary Ann grinned. "Any reason in particular you picked that dress?"

"Oh hush up." The redhead said giving her brunette friend a look. "Must you assign suspicion to everything I do? Really!" She huffed. "I'm shocked! I wrought! I'm…"

The farm girl laughed. "Oh put a cork in it." She said. "I know you are looking to get the attention of a certain male inhabitant of this island who happens to be very knowledgeable about the world of science."

"Yeah like you are one to talk." Ginger came back with. "Don't tell me you didn't enjoy playing nursemaid to a certain sailor today."

"Gilligan needed me." Mary Ann insisted. "I had to take care of him. He is my friend and I…"

"Yeah sure "friend". Whatever you say." The movies star laughed as she walked out of the hut.

Mary Ann stuck her tongue out after her before giving herself a quick glimpse in the mirror. She had to make sure she looked presentable for Gilligan. Satisfied with her appearance, she turned to leave and head to the Skipper and Gilligan's hut to retrieve that sailor man. She knocked on the door and he said for her to enter.

"How you are doing?" Mary Ann asked walking to his hammock. "Your ankle any better?"

"A little." Gilligan replied. "Skipper checked it again and he thinks I didn't twist it too bad but ordered me to stay off of it for awhile."

"Well see that you do." Mary Ann stated. "Come on…it's time for dinner. I'll help you out of the hammock." She reached over to pull him towards her so she could get a tight grip but the device ended up tipping over and causing the two to tumble to the floor with Gilligan on top of the farm girl.

Mary Ann swallowed and turned red at having the sailor so close to her like that.
"Um..uh…Gilligan…I…"

"I'm sorry Mary Ann." He stated. "I didn't mean…"

"Oh it's okay." She assured. "We just um..we have to…Okay can you try to stand up?"

"I'll see." He replied. Gilligan tried to put weight on his good foot but ended up slipping and landing back down on Mary Ann. "Sorry." He gulped.

"It's all right. Here… let me see if I can just gently move you and slide out from underneath…" She pushed Gilligan up and started to move but they both crashed back down. "This is hopeless." She sighed. "We are stuck."

"Let me see if I can try again." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Maybe if I just.." He began to inch up trying to favor his uninjured ankle but had no luck.

"Great. Now what do we do." Mary Ann said. "Stay like this forever?"

Gilligan quickly wiped the That wouldn't be so bad thought from his head. "Maybe Skipper will come in and find us." He offered.

Just then the bulky old sailor did enter the hut and paused seeing the two on the floor. "What is going on here?"

"Oh thank goodness." Mary Ann said. "I was trying to help Gilligan out of the hammock but it tipped over. We had trouble getting back up because of his bad ankle. Didn't want to make it worse."

"I see." Skipper said as he carefully lifted up Gilligan freeing Mary Ann. Her legs were a tad cramped and she stretched them out. "Thanks Skipper."

"You are welcome. Now come on you two. Dinner time." He handed Gilligan his crutch and they three left to head to the communal area.

Gilligan settled on the end of one bench and propped his foot up on small stood that had been placed under the table for him. Mr. and Mrs. Howell settled into their usual spot.
Skipper like always sat at the head of the table. The Professor sat on the opposite side of the table across from the Howells. Mary Ann had left to go bring out the food.

Ginger emerged wearing a smile on her face as she approached the table. "Hello Professor." She greeted as she sat down next to him."

"Ginger." He said returning her smile and noting her new gown. He believed her to look radiant in that color. "You look very elegant."

"Thank you Professor." She replied in her breathy voice. "You did say that you thought I looked very fetching in this old thing so I thought I would wear it for dinner."

"You look stunning even if that is an old thing." He commented.

"Professor you are too kind." She said with a seductive look on her face. "You sure know what to say to a girl.." She purred in his ear. "You are quite a smooth talker."

Mary Ann returned with the tray of food. She set a pie down in front of Gilligan. "Just for you." She said. "Your favorite."

"Me? Oh boy!" The sailor said enthusiastically. "Mango, orange, coconut and tuna pie!" He licked his lips. "Mmmmm!"

Skipper made a face. "Yecch….I don't know how you eat the things you do." He said shaking his head at his little buddy.

Mary Ann laughed. "Don't worry Skipper I made something different for everyone else. I just thought Gilligan deserved a special treat. I felt bad about him hurting his ankle. Though this would cheer him up."

"It sure did." Gilligan said with a mouthful of the pie.

"For the rest of you." The farm girl announced. "I made some crab stew. Enjoy!"

The others dug into the scrumptious meal prepared by Mary Ann. The Professor took a spoonful and stated it was quite delicious. Ginger smiled at him. "Save room Professor." She said to him. "I have a surprise for you then."

"Oh?" He asked intrigued. "And what would that be?"

"Now Professor." Ginger chastised. "If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise."

Skipper looked at the pair and frowned. Why didn't they just get it over with already? Just fess up that they liked each other and move on! Mr. Howell told him earlier about the love letters Ginger received. Mrs. Howell relayed the whole story to her husband. How Ginger did not know who was writing them. Skipper could have told the movie star easily. The Professor. Who else would do such a thing? It was clear as the sun that the man adored that redhead actress. Of course he was writing love notes to her. You had to be pretty blind not to see his affection for her.

The meal went on with Ginger smiling and flirting with the academic as if he was the only one at the table. Their dinner then came to a close and Mary Ann began to clear the dishes away. The movie star turned to the Professor. "I hoped you saved room for your surprise." She cooed at him. Ginger rose from her seat and sauntered off towards the kitchen area. The Professor could not help but watch as her hips swayed back and forth. She turned a minute or two later carrying the dessert. She placed it down on the table in front of the man of science. "For you." She said. "Your favorite. Orange Cream Pie."

"How thoughtful of you." He said to her. "It looks quite good."

"I was hoping you would like it." Ginger said sitting down next to him. She was about to cut into it when all of a sudden out of nowhere a rainstorm hit.

They all scattered from the table. Well except Gilligan. He could with the assistance of his crutch and Mary Ann. For some reason or another the Professor felt it important to cover the pie and take it along with him. He did not wish for it to get ruined. After all Ginger would be crushed her effort was for nothing. They scampered to the nearest cave as it was the best shelter during one of these storms. Luckily the nearest was the one they stored most of their provisions in.

Gilligan sat down along the wall and the Skipper placed the footstool he had grabbed in front of the first mate so he could prop up his foot. Mary Ann sat down next to the young sailor. The sea captain gathered a bunch of firewood that was also stored in that very cave so a fire could be started. He had a pack of matches with him and lit it.

Ginger shivered on the cave floor. Her dress of course was not exactly made for these types of conditions. It did not give much protection against the chill and the damp. The Professor, not wishing for her to be cold, placed his arms around her to help keep her warm. Ginger did not protest at this gesture. She happily laid her head against his chest enjoying the warm of his embrace.

Mary Ann noticed this and wished she could be doing the same thing with Gilligan however with his bad ankle it would be difficult. What she did do was slide next to him and allowed him to place his arm around her shoulders.

The Howells huddled by the fire to keep warm and the Skipper sat on a log rubbing his hands in front of the flames.

Some time went by with no one saying anything. Finally Gilligan spoke. "What should we do now?"

"Beats me." Mary Ann replied cuddling closer to him under the pretense of keeping warm. "What can we do? We are stuck here until the storm passes."

"Maybe we can play a game." Gilligan suggested.

"What game?" Skipper asked. "We don't have any cards. The chess and checkerboard are in the Howells' hut."

"Well maybe we can tell stories." The sailor replied. "You always have lots of Navy stories Skipper."

Mrs. Howell perked up at hearing the word stories. "You know this reminds me of Thurston and I's first date. Oh how romantic it was!" She gushed.

"It was rather charming." Mr. Howell agreed.

"Your first date was in a rainstorm?" Gilligan questioned.

"Not exactly dear." The Millionaire's wife explained. "You see Thurston and I were at this polo match when all of a sudden this rain hit out of nowhere! We ducked for cover under the bleachers! That is when Thurston kissed me for the first time." She sighed at her fond memory.

"How sweet." Mary Ann said.

"I was a bit of a devil in those days." Thurston quipped. "But Lovey was just so irresistible….I couldn't help myself." He placed a kiss on his wife's temple.

Ginger looked back at the Professor. "You remember your first kiss?" She asked.

He gazed down at the beauty in his arms. Did he remember? Of course he did. His first real kiss was with her. It never left his mind. The kiss that Sally Webster tried to give him when he was sixteen did not come close. Besides she just barely pecked his lips. And he was too nervous to give Becky Jacobs a real kiss on prom night. He did kiss her lips but not the way she had wanted him too. There was a look of disappointment and slight irritation in her eyes. The Professor gently caressed her bare arm with his hand before saying. "I most certainly do. How about you?"

Ginger smiled. "I remember. It was with Bobby Millstone. I had volunteered to be in the kissing both for the local fair. I didn't kiss anyone on the lips, I would just give them a kiss on the cheek but when Bobby came to the booth…I planted a big one on him. We went out after that. He was a nice boy. He moved away the next summer. I saw him a few times since but that was it." She did not add however that the kiss she shared with that boy at age fifteen did not come close to the ones she shared with him. Not the least bit close by any stretch.

Gilligan spoke. "I remember when Mary Ann kissed me in the jungle." He smiled. "When we were tricking Duke."

The farm girl giggled. "You didn't seem too terribly disappointed when I placed those kisses all over your face."

"I would never!" He exclaimed. "You gave nice kisses Mary Ann."

"Why thank you Gilligan." She said kissing his cheek. "That is sweet of you to say."

The sailor turned to the Professor. "Did Ginger give nice kisses?" He asked.

The academic squeezed the movie star closer before saying. "Ginger's kisses were very pleasant indeed."

"I'll bet." Skipper laughed. "Is that why you two kissed so long for the silent movie?"

Ginger shot him a look. "That was not our fault." She declared. "Mr. Howell didn't yell cut. How was I to know when the scene ended."

The millionaire chucked. "Ginger dear I was waiting for you to let go of the Professor."

"Why would I have wanted to do a thing like that?" Ginger said slyly cuddling closer the man of science.

The storm finally began to let up after another hour and they headed out of their cave dwelling. The seven headed to their camp area and were glad no damage was caused to their huts. Gilligan said good night to Mary Ann and headed into the hut with Skipper. The Howells wished everyone a pleasant night before retiring to their hut. Mary Ann walked happily to her and Ginger's. The movie star stayed back with the Professor.

"Did you really think my kisses were pleasant?" She asked of him.

"Very much so." He replied. "I just hope I wasn't too big of a disappointment."

She giggled. "Professor you were wonderful." She said placing her hands on his shoulders. "Better than Cary Grant." She added.

"Ginger you never kissed Cary Grant."

"I know but I bet you are better than him." She purred her lips very close to his. "Much much better."

"Good night Ginger." He said before turning away and walking to his hut with the pie in his hands.

Ginger practically floated to hers and stepped inside her back against the door. "Isn't he dreamy?" She sighed out loud.

Mary Ann sat brushing her brunette locks and smiled to herself. "Yes Gilligan is pretty darn dreamy." She thought back to being close to him in the cave.

The redhead frowned. "Not him. I was talking about the Professor." Her face brightened as she thought of the scholar again. "He's so…wonderful and handsome and charming… just….a dream…."

"Well I think Gilligan is just as wonderful." She lowered her brush still smiling. "Did you hear how he said my kisses were nice." She sighed happily. "He said I gave nice kisses."

"Professor liked my kisses." Ginger said sitting down on her bed. "He said they were pleasant."

Mary Ann placed her brush on the table and climbed into her bunk. She settled in her mind on that sailor man. She started to wonder what it would be like to be officially his girl! How sweet that would be! To spend her life on this island by his side. True she did not really wish to be on this island but if she had to be stuck there at least she could have Gilligan.

Ginger changed into her nightgown and settled into bed. Her mind could not stop thinking about being wrapped in the Professor's arms. How natural it seemed. Like that is where she was meant to be. Well she thought she was. That is where she was meant to be. In the Professor's loving arms. For the rest of her life.